Uganda has officially been admitted into the Invictus Games community, becoming the 26th participating nation and the first East African country to join the global movement that uses sport to rehabilitate wounded, injured and sick service personnel.

The announcement was made on July 7, 2026, during the 14th Invictus Games Foundation Conversation at Chatham House in London. The event, themed "From Policy to Practice," brought together experts, policymakers and members of the Invictus community as part of the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.

The Invictus Games Foundation Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, welcomed Uganda's admission, saying he was pleased to see another nation join the Invictus community.

"Growth has never been about numbers. It's about reaching those who need us most. Building partnerships that last. And ensuring that no one feels they're making this journey alone," Prince Harry said.

Uganda's Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, thanked the Invictus Games Foundation and its Patron, Prince Harry, for welcoming Uganda into the community.

"This milestone reflects our shared commitment to wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women who have sacrificed greatly in service to our nation," Kiwanuka said.

He said the partnership affirms Uganda's belief that those who have served the country deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose and hope.

"Those who have borne the burdens of service deserve every opportunity to rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose, and hope. They are our living heroes," he said.

Kiwanuka credited President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his leadership and Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba for championing Uganda's entry into the Invictus community during the Invictus Games Foundation leadership visit to Kampala on October 10, 2025.

"Uganda's admission as the first East African nation to formally engage with the Foundation is both an honour and a responsibility," he said.

"We look forward to learning from other member nations while contributing our own experience to the global Invictus movement."

The minister confirmed that Uganda will compete at the Birmingham Invictus Games in 2027.

Uganda's admission follows a formal agreement signed between the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Invictus Games Foundation in October 2025 to strengthen rehabilitation services for wounded soldiers.

Ahead of the partnership, the Foundation visited Uganda to assess existing sports recovery facilities and met wounded service personnel and their families. The Foundation also visited veterans at the Mubende Defence Forces Rehabilitation and Vocational Centre, where it provided sports equipment to support their recovery.